Apparatus for loading freight or the like



Nov. 23; 1948. s. M. NAMPA 2,454,473

APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Filed June 3, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O C lmmwwmzu I NVE N TOR A TTORNE Y5:

Nov. 23, 1948. 5. M. NAM 2,454,413

APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Filed June 1945 ZSheets-Sheet z y INVENTOR @ula g.

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Patented Nov. 23, 1948 APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Sulo Nampa, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Evans Products Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application June 3, 1943, Serial No. 489,445 16 Claims. (01. 105-3s9) The present invention relates to improved loading apparatus for holding freight articlesof different types in vehicles'or storage spaces and, more particularly, to improved equipment of this nature certain parts which are built into or combined with a vehicle, such as a, railway freight car, or other storage space, and having certain other parts which are adjustably and variously cooperable with the built-in parts, the several parts of the equipment cooperating to hold (that is, for example, to brace, support or carry, space, wedge, or provide shelves, partitions, or bins for) a wide variety of freight articles. In certain of its aspects, the present invention is a modification of the loading arrangements described. and claimed in applicants copending applications Serial No. 343,357 filed March'12, 1942, now abandoned and Serial No.]475,082, flled February 8,

Applicants above-identified copending applications disclose a loading organization, wherein the storage chamber, such as a freight car, is provided on its respectively opposite side walls with supporting structure, to which loading members, used for decking, bulkheading and other purposes, may be secured. This supporting structuretakes the form of adjustably mounted, elongated members provided with surfaces disposed to interlock with corresponding interlocking means at the ends of the holding members. In the copending arrangement, the holding members, when used I for bulkheading purposes, are preferably wedged into engagement with the freight through the use of a wedging tool, which maybe anchored to the supporting structure and through which a Wedging force may be applied tothe holding members.

The present arrangement employs a different arrangement of supporting structure which comprises, generally, supports arranged at the respectively opposite sides of the storage chamber, supporting members carried by these supports, and holding members which are secured to the supporting members. In this arrangement, the supporting members themselves afford means for wedging the corresponding holding members, when used for bulkheading, into engagement with the freight. For this purpose, each supporting member comprises a pair of relatively movable members, at least one of which may be anchored to the corresponding support and the other of which, by application of force betweenit and the corresponding anchored part, may be advanced along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

along the support. The thus moved part is arranged to support the holding member.

The above briefly described arrangement affords other structural and operating advantages, which are described in more detail below, and are pointed out in the appended claims. I

With the above as well as other considerations in view, the principal objects of the present invention are to provide a freight loading system, which is simple in construction, economical of manufacture and erection, and which is reliable and efficient in operation; to provide such an arrangement incorporating freight holding members and improved supporting structure therefor, by which these members may be utilized for various freight loading purposes, such as decking, bulkheading, and the like; to provide such arrangements wherein the supporting structure comprises means adjustably carried by the side walls of the storage chamber and which incorporate means for supporting and/or moving the holding members into desired position.

Other and more detailed objects appear in the following description and in the appended claims.

In the drawings, throughout which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts:

Figure 1 is apartial view in perspective of the interior of a freight car embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, based upon Fig. 1; i I

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken Fig. 5 is aview in vertical section, taken along the line 5--5 of Fi 1; i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a modification of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a view in vertical section, taken along the line'l-l of Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the present invention that the improvements may, in a generic sense, be embodied in or used with a wide variety of freight holding systems, and may also partake of various different constructions. The disclosure herein of particular embodiments of the invention, applied to a railway freight car, is, consequently, to be regarded in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Referring first to Figs. 1 through 5, the illustrative freight caris illustrated as being of usual construction, having a conventional floor structure 2B and a roof structure 22. A usual side wall structure is indicated at 24, and the hereinafter described freight loading arrangement is considered as being built into this conventional car structure. Alternatively, as will be appreciated from a complete understanding of the invention, the fixed loading elements of the present invention may, if desired, be erected in the car as an incident to the original manufacture thereof and may, consequently, form part of the car structure itself.

The loading elements are shown as comprising a plurality of side wall supports 30, a plurality of frame-like supporting members 32, and a plurality of holding members 34, certain of which are illustrated as being used for decking purposes and one of which is illustrated as being used as a bulkhead. The side wall supports may be variously constructed, but are shown as consisting of longitudinally extending I-section members, secured to the corresponding side walls 24, with the webs thereof extending horizontally. Each member 39 thus defines an upwardly presenting channel-shaped guideway and a corresponding downwardly presenting channel-shaped guideway. The three uppermost members 30 at one side of the car thus define two vertically spaced guides, which receive the corresponding supporting members 32. Similarly, the three lowermost members 3i? define two vertically spaced guides which receive the corresponding supporting members 32. The relatively narrower guideway, which is defined between the inter-mediate members 36 at each side of the car, is utilized in the present arrangement as a guideway to support the heads of retaining chains 38, associated with the holding members 34.

The supporting members 363 may and preferably do extend from the corresponding end of the car to the door opening at the corresponding side of the car and, if desired, extension means may be arranged to extend across the door openings, so as to provide the interior of the car with guide rail or supporting structure, which extends from end-to-end of the car.

Each supporting member comprises a pair of vertically extending, longitudinally spaced, boxlike frames 43, which may be and preferably are formed of steel or other structural material. The upper and lower ends 42 and 44 of the frames are shaped, as shown in Fig. 5, to nest within the corresponding channel-shaped portions of the associated members 36;. As shown, the frames 40 are arranged to releasably interlock with the supports 351 in desired positions of adjustment therealong. As illustrated, the interlocking means comprises pins 45 carried by the frames40, the projecting ends whereof are disposed to be received in longitudinally spaced openings 58 provided in the webs of the supports 3|]. It is preferred to arrange the system so that'a supporting member 32 in one tier may be arranged in vertical alignment with a supporting member 82 in the adjacent tier, and to enable this relation, the pins 48 may be arranged so that, when projected into the openings 50, they extend only part way therethrough.

The frames 48 of each individual supporting member 32 are connected together by an adjustable toggle mechanism comprising upper and lower pairs of levers 52 and 54, the outer ends whereof are pivoted between the side walls of the corresponding frame, by means of pins, such as 80, and spacers 52. The inner ends of the levers 52 and 54 are connected to cross heads 34 and 66, which threadably cooperate with a screw l0, having a tool receiving central section. As will be understood, by turning the screw it in one direction or the other, the cross heads 64 and [it may be caused to move towards or away from each other, thereby either collapsing or straightening the toggle mechanism, and causing the frames 40 to either approach or move away from each other. As will also be understood, by first anchoring one frame 453 of a supporting member 32 by moving its pins 46 into interlocking relation with the corresponding supports 30, and by thereafter turning the screw 70, a wedging force may be applied to the companion frame 48.

It will be noticed that the toggle mechanisms incorporate the usual and substantial mechanical advantage producing features, whereby by the application of relatively small forces to the adjusting screws, very substantial adjusting or wedging forces may be applied between the rela-- tively movable parts of the supports. It will be noticed too, that an infinitely fine adjustment is afforded by the present structure, which allows the primary anchoring surfaces, herein illustrated as anchor holes, to be relatively widely spaced, while at the same time enabling very minute adjusting movements of the freight holding members.

A further important advantage of the present structure resides in the fact that all of the adjusting mechanism associated with the freight holding members 34 act in planes parallel to and immediately adjacent the side walls of the chamber. These members, consequently, occupy but a very small percentage of the chamber space, and do not interfere with the loading of the freight articles to substantially the full width of the chamber.

As will be appreciated, in the broader aspects of the invention, various types of freight holding members may be associated with the individual supporting members 32. As shown, the members 34 are built up of planking members 811, so as to define a relatively wide, but relatively thin planklike structure. Preferably and as shown, this structure is reinforced by longitudinally extending angle members 82 and corresponding end angle members 84. This construction leaves the face a (Fig. 3) free of projecting metal surfaces, and such surface thus functions as a cushioning surface for direct; engagement by the freight articles.

Generically, the frames 40 and the cross members 34 may be connected together in unit relation, the connections between these parts being either fixed or adjustable. In the present and preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the cross members 34 are readily removable from the frames 40. Further, various means may be utilized to provide the connections between the cross members and the frames. As illustrated, the holding members 34 are provided with retractable holding pins 90, two being provided at each end, which cooperate with corresponding perforations 92 provided in the inner and outer panels of the frames 40. Preferably, in order to use both of such panels in supporting the cross members 34, the pins are made sufficiently long to bridge both panels. The openings 92 may be variously arranged, but are shown as being distributed in two vertical rows 111 63401), frame 4'0. The spacing between the inner row of openings 92 on one frame 40 and the corresponding row of openings on the adjacent frame 40 preferably corresponds to the spacing between the pins 90 on the members 34. With'this arrangement, as shown in Fig. 2, one member 34 may be supported between the two frames '40 of a particular supporting member 32, and a cooperating member 34 may be supported between one frame 40 of such member 32 and the adjacent frame 40 of the next successive supporting member 32. It will be noticed, also, that the members 34 may be secured to the supporting members 32 in desired positions of vertical adjustment.

It will be recognized that, if desired, the ends of the supports 30, adjacent a door opening, for example, may be left in an open condition so'as to enable the supporting members 32 to be freely removed from and inserted therebetween. Preferably, however, the desired number of supporting members 32 is introduced between the corresponding supports 3llas an incident to the original erection of the system, and thereafter such ends of the members 30 are provided with means which prevent the free or unauthorized'removal of the supporting members 32. On the other hand, it is desirable to enable the holding members 34 to be freely moved around in the car. To prevent their removal from the car, it is preferred to provide each such member 34 with a previously-mentioned retaining chain, havinga sliding head 36, which is adjustably received between the intermediate members 36 at oneside of the car or the other.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. Sand '7, the arrangement is the same with the exception that in this case each supporting member 32' comprises one frame H30, constructed as aforesaid, but of slightly shorter length. The upper and lower ends of this frame I are rigidly secured to channel members Hi2, which nest within the corresponding supports 39. The other frame IM' isalso constructed as aforesaid, with the exception that it is somewhat shorter. The frames HM are rigidly secured at their respectively opposite ends to short channel members I66, which nest within the just-mentioned channels I62 and are slidable therealong. In this case, only the frames lflEi are provided with means, such as the pins 46, by which they may be interlocked with 'the supports 30. The frames It!) and I04 may be and preferably are interconnected by toggle mechanism of the abovedescribed type, comprising the screw 10.

It is believed that various advantageous methods of utilizing the above-described structures will be apparent from the above description. An illustrative loading arrangement is'shown in Fig. 1, wherein a member 34 is utilized to form a deck, to support freight articles 0 above a lower tier of articles (I, which are shown as resting directly upon the car floor. A second member 34 is utilized to form a deck, to support a third tier of freight articles e Tothe rear of the articles 6, an additional member 34 affords a deck to support a tier of articles f abovea tier of articles The remaining member 34 is shown as being Vertically arranged as a bulkhead, and as ,being wedged against the face of the articles e.

Although only two specific em-bodimentsof the invention havefbeendescribed, it will be appreciated that various further modifications in the form, number and arrangement of theparts may be made without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a freight loading system for a freight chamber such "as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which are spaced apart in a direction transversely to their length, and a pair of supporting members associated respectively with the said supports, each supporting member comprising'a pair of relatively movable parts, at least one of which is constructed for anchoring engagement with the corresponding support so as to enable the other part} by application of force between it and the corresponding anchored part, to be advanced along the corresponding support to a desired adjusted position, freight holding means extending be:

and cooperatingholding means on saidfreight holding means and on'said supporting members for enabling said freight holding means to be so carried in any of a plurality of different positions of adjustment with respect to said supporting members.

In a freight loading system for a freight chamber such as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which are spaced apart in a direction transversely to their length, a freight holding member disposed to extend between said supports, and a pair of supporting members associated respectively with the said supports, each supporting member comprising a pair of relatively movable parts, at least one of which is constructed for anchoring engagement with the corresponding support so as to enable the other part, by application of force between it and the corresponding anchored part, to be advanced along the corresponding support to a desired adjusted position, and each said other part and the said holding member having selectively cooperable holding means by which the holding member may be adjustably secured to and supported by said other parts.

3. In a freight loading system for a freight chamber such as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which are spaced apart in a direction transversely to their length, a freight holding member disposed to extend between said supports, and a pair of supporting members associated respectively with the said supports, each supporting member comprising a pair of relatively movable parts, each of which is provided with means for releasably anchoring it to the corresponding said support so as to enable an unanchored said part, by application of force between it and the anchored part, to be advanced along the corresponding support to a desired position of adjustment, and each said supporting member and the said ho ding member having cooperating holding means by which the holding member may be secured to and supported by the said supporting members.

4. In a freight loading system for a freight chamber such as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which are spaced apart in a direction transversely to their length, a freight holding member disposed to extend between said supports, and a pair of supporting members associated respectively with the said supports, each supporting member comprising a pair of relatively movable parts, each of which is provided with means for releasably anchoring it to the corresponding said support so as to enable an unanchored said part, by application of force between it and the anchored part,

tween and carried bysaid supporting'membersf to be advanced along the corresponding support to a desired position of adjustment, and each said other part and the said holding member having cooperating holding means by which the holding member may be secured to and supported by said other parts.

5. In a freight loading system for a freight chamber such as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which are spaced. apart in a direction transversely to their length, afreight holding member disposed to extend between said supports, and a pair of supporting members associated respectively with the said supports, each supporting member comprising a pair of relatively movable parts, at least one of which is constructed for anchoring engagement with the corresponding support so as to enable the other part, by applicationof force 1 :between it and the tcorresp'onidingzanchoredew-part, ito be-advanced .alongithe corresponding support to adesired: adjusted position, said holding memher. having adjacent reach end :thereof at --least a pair. of spaced securing means,- i and: each said supporting member having at least apair of securing .means with which the firstamentioned securing :means are interengageable.

' 6.:In a freight loading system vfor as-freight chamber such as a freight car,-the combination of elongated supports in said chamber which-are spaced. apart in a direction transversely-to their length, a freight holding :member'disposed to-ex- I .tend between said supports, and a :pair ofasupporting members associated respectively with the t a said supports, each supporting member comprising a pair of relatively movabl'e'parts, at least-one of which is constructed-for anchoring-engagement with the corresponding support so as to enable the other 'partgby application of forcebetween it and-the'corresponding anchored part, to be advanced along the corresponding support to a desired adjusted'position, said-holding'memher having adjacent each 'endthereof at least a pair of spaced securing means,-and each said.

supporting member having a plurality of securing means distributed thereover with which the first-mentioned securing meansare engageable to adjustably support the said holding vmember in any of a plurality of vertically and horizontally adjustable positions.

'7. In a freight loading system for. a freight chamber-such as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports insaidchamber which are spaced apart in adirection transversely to their length, a freight holding member disp'osedto'extend between said supports, and a'pair of supporting members associated respectively with .the said supports, eachsupporting member comprising a pair of relatively'movable parts, atuleast one of which is constructed-Tor anchoring engagement with the corresponding-support so :as to enable the other-part by application of force between it and the corresponding anchored part,

to be advanced along the corresponding support 1. to a desired adjusted-position, said holdingmem- 9. The structure of claim 2 wherein saidsupports comprise horizontally disposed rails which v extend lengthwise of the :chamber-and arew'secured to the corresponding chamber 'walls.

10. The structure of claim 3 wherein said'supports comprise horizontally disposed rails-which extend lengthwise of the "chamber and are' secured to the corresponding chamber walls 11. The structure: of claim '4'wherein saijdfsupports comprise horizontally disposed rails -which extend lengthwise of the chamber and area-secured to the corresponding chamber walls.

12. The structure of claim 1 wherein each said support comprises a pair of vertically spaced rails which extend horizontally and lengthwise of the chamber and iwhichncooperatelto define a .guide-L iwaynto receive a corresponding supporting-imam- 'lzbBl.

-13. JIhe structure of claim -21wherein each said ssupportcomprises apainoffivertically 'space'irails which extend :horizontally and lengthwiseof :the

-chamber andawhich cooperate to define a' guideway toiirecei-ve '-a corresponding supporting .-mem- -ber.

I :14.-In auireight loadings-system for a. freight chambersuch as .a freight. car, the combination of elongated supports .in said chamber which are spacedapartinv a direction transversely to their 4- length, which define between them a .zguideway,

and a supporting member .-received .between and guidedby-saidsupports, said supporting member 7 comprising a pain ofurelatively movable parts-at least.'one. of which is constructed for anchoring @engagement with .the --said :guideway so as toenable the other part, by application.of-dforcexbetween .it and the anchoredapart, to besadvanced -along the corresponding 1guideway-to :adesired 1 adjustedr-positioma-and holding means on .said

supporting means toaenablesit to .support coopcrating. freight holding. means in any of :-a v,plutrality 0f adjusted positions .with respect thereto. 15.-.In aufreight-loading system for .a .freight chamber such .as a freight car, the combination of elongated supports insaid: chamber whichare spaced-apartzin .a direction transversely. to their .length, which define between-them a guideway,

.. and a supporting.membenreceived between and guided by said supports said supporting member comprising a ,pair of .lrelatively.movable-cparts,

. .bothsof said parts being constructed .for anchoring engagement with the saidguidewaysoas to enable an unanchoredsaidpart, icy-application of force'between it and theanchored .part,vto be advanced along the guideway. .to. .a desired positionof adjustment.

. 16..In a freight loading. meansffor .a. freight car or other freight chamber, the combination .of substantially horizontal longitudinally extending side members .mounted on and extending" along the. respectivelyflopposite side wa ls of the chamber and provided with guidin and supporting surfaces, .an v'a'izljusta'lble freight holding member extending across the chamber between said side. members, mechanism providing a 'mounting connection between said freight holding member and said sidemembers whereby to support and guide it while it is .adjusted along said side members, said mechanism being "mounted on the respective said side members and "embodying means .interengageable with. said guiding and supporting surfaces to effect said adjustment and to also hold the mechanism and consequently the freight holding member in ad- 'justed locked position; said last-mentioned means "comprising meansall .parts. of which act in a plane "substantially parallel to'and immediately adjacent the side walls""of the chamber, and means adjustably and removably connectingithe freight holding member to said mechanism.

"SULO M. NAMPA.

" REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences@are of record-in the .file :of this patent:

UNITED STATES- 'PATFNTS Number Name I Date 1,049,655 Boller etal. s Jan. 7, 1913 2,165,652 -Reiferet-al. iJuly ll, 1939 2,354,861 I-Iermann -Aug,, 1,11944 2,360,029

-Wieden ...c 98b. 10, 4-944 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,454,473. November 23, 1948.

SULO M. NAMPA It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctlon as follows:

Column 1, line 5, after the word nature insert having; line 17, for the serial number 343,357 read 434,357

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of March, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uonwnissiomr of Patents. 

